Young people do not see a lot of reasons to remain in Ireland.
More than seven in 10 young people aged 18-24 are considering moving abroad because they think they would enjoy a better quality of life elsewhere, new research has shown.
The research was carried out by RED C on behalf of the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) and showed that the current situation in Ireland is making thousands of young professionals rethink their future in Ireland.
Among the findings in the survey were that, of those aged 18-24, eight in 10 said that they are fearful for the future and half of them reported worse mental health in the context of the rising cost of living.
More than four in 10 responded that they are not as happy as they were six months ago, while almost one in two said they are struggling to make ends meet. More than one in four respondents said their experience with housing in the past six months is worse.
“There is a real fear from young people about what the future holds for them," Paul Gordon, Director of Policy and Advocacy, NYCI, said.
"Many say they’re struggling to make ends meet and quality-of-life considerations are driving them to consider a future outside of Ireland. Government must act to ensure young people aren’t overlooked in this crisis.”
Clara Jane Hickey, age 21, from Waterford, moved from Ireland to the Netherlands last month to study at the University of Groningen.
“I left Ireland in August due to the costs of living there," Hickey said.
"In the Netherlands, I pay lower third-level tuition fees per year compared with Ireland, where I, or my parents, would need to be able to afford a mandatory contribution of €3,000 per year.
"Finding accommodation has been so much more realistic for me in the Netherlands. I also find the public transport system much better than in Ireland.”
As part of its pre-Budget submission, NYCI is calling on the Government to:
- Reduce registration fees for those in college, higher education, or on apprenticeships
- Raise the national minimum wage for under-20s to the same level as over-20s
- Bring the rate of Jobseekers' Allowance for under-25s in line with that of those over 25
- Extend the Young Adult travel card to more young people
- Increase government investment in youth work services in local communities
